I gave my chicken to a hungry man

I made a quick run to the store today with my two littlest princesses in tow. Smith's to be exact. Just a quick trip to get some soda and beef stew my hubby requested for dinner. I'm not the biggest fan of canned beef stew-it tastes like CAN! So I decided to check the deli and see if anything struck my fancy. I could have my own special treat while the rest of the family ate stewed can, or canned stew as some might call it. I spotted a little baggie of  baked barbecue chicken pieces. YUM! And, bonus-it was marked down to around a dollar. (end of the day mark down) If ever I'm OK with getting myself a little treat, it's when it's marked down. YAY! Less self imposed guilt! Me and my princesses went through the checkout line and headed out the door. They were doing such a good job of steering that shopping cart/truck! As we made our way out I heard some loud singing, I thought, wow the radio is really loud by the doors! Then I realized that it was not the radio. It was in fact a MAN sitting on the sidewalk singing his heart out and strumming away on his guitar. And just like in the movies, his guitar case was laid out by him. A sign inside it read "Just plain hungry". Poor guy! How could I walk by with my dollar bill tucked in my wallet and not just dinner for my family, but a little extra something for me? I couldn't. I dropped my dollar in his case and turned away. That's when "Just plain hungry" registered in my mind. I didn't NEED that chicken. It was hot and ready to eat, and the guy was "Just plain hungry"! I turned again and gave him my chicken. He broke off from his song and thanked me and declared my princesses to be beautiful. Then went on singing. I went along to my car with a smile on my face and in my heart.
I know what you're thinking. And no, I'm not naive. I know that usually these people are down and out because of choices they've made. Maybe even because of drugs, maybe alcoholism, maybe escaped from jail---AAAHH! OK, maybe not that so much, but I know, I know..... HOWEVER, If I were ever down and out and that desperate, I sure hope that someone would have the heart to show me a little kindness. Not just for a little cash, or a little food. But to be reminded that there is still goodness in the world.
Let's say that man was down and out because he was fired from his job. Fired for missing too many days of work. Maybe he missed those days because he was drinking, or maybe he was high, or maybe.........I'm pretty sure that kindness will do him a lot more good than shunning him would. When I make bad choices, I'm very much aware of what I did wrong. Whether it shows or not. I'd guess it's the same for most people. So, I wonder when someone is in that position, would they be more likely to clean up and strive to be better if they were treated well, or not so well? Would chicken man want to be better if all passersby looked at him with disdain? Or would he just feel stuck in that bad place? Would he want to do better and be better if even one person gave to him, and showed him a smile? I'm willing to take that chance. And besides, it made me feel good.


From Matthew 25:

  "34 Then shall the King say unto them.........

  35 For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

  36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

  37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

  38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

  39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

  40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Pulling my hair out with a smile

I just spent a long day driving and hiking with my little family. We took a day trip to Craters of the Moon. It was a perfect day for it, the weather was beautiful. My kids really enjoyed themselves. And I mean REALLY enjoyed themselves. To the point of driving me batty. My littlest Princess who is 2 1/2 is a world class explorer and rock climber. In HER mind. She wanted to climb the rocks, teeter on the edge of the trails, and refused to hold Mommy's or Daddy's hand.
   The drive home, Ugh! My Big Boy teased my second Princess. Oldest Princess teased second Princess. Littlest Princess squirmed and whined and fought and........whew!
  I'm going insane and feeling like the grouchiest mom for scolding my kiddos every 2 minutes. And at that same moment I'm feeling sad about how quickly they are growing up. I catch a glimpse of Big Boy's face and it looks like, well, a big boy! Ahhh!
   This reminds me of some thoughts I had a while back. About raising kids. The time that they spend being infants, toddlers, terrible two year olds, and exhausting little people, is so brief. Such a short time of my life, in the whole scheme of things. It will be gone before I know it. I'm OK with sacrificing (if you can even call it that) some things the world views as necessary to my happiness. I'm fine with wearing "mom clothes" for a little while. I'm good with being home in the evenings, not out on the town. I'm happy to NOT work out of the home. Heavenly Father has trusted these little spirits to my care, and to my husband's care. I have my whole life to take care of me, but just this short while to give these children a good start in life.
  I love what Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in April Conference of 2008. ......"how important it is to focus on the things that can only be done in a particular season of life. If a child lives with parents for 18 or 19 years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent’s life. And the most formative time of all, the early years in a child’s life, represents less than one-tenth of a parent’s normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes. This eternally important work falls to mothers and fathers as equal partners. I am grateful that today many fathers are more involved in the lives of their children. But I believe that the instincts and the intense nurturing involvement of mothers with their children will always be a major key to their well-being. In the words of the proclamation on the family, “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children” 


  
 
 

Weeding and Nurturing

I was weeding my flower bed the other day.

                             Thoughts wandering through my mind as usual.

My two youngest princesses wanted to help me.

                               I'd love to have them help, but the "good" plants were still so "young" that they didn't stand out so much from the "bad" plants (aka weeds).

So, I decided that they couldn't help me weed. They could, however help me water, and even plant new plants. They are more than welcome to help me nurture my gardens.

     I wonder if maybe that's how Heavenly Father feels about us --His children-his "plants"---here on Earth, or in His "garden". Of course He wouldn't want "weeds" in His garden. But only He knows who those weeds are. We do not have the proper knowledge to decide which weeds to pull, or who to judge. But, I'm willing to bet that Heavenly Father would be all too happy to have us help nurture His garden. What do you think? I imagine that we are welcome to do all the uplifting and spiritual nurturing we want.

   I love nurturing plants, I love watching them grow, watching them respond to the care that I give them. Like wise, I find it quite enjoyable to treat people with kindness, nurturing, their sweet spirits and watching them grow and learn to feel the Savior's and their Heavenly Father's love for them. Just like a plant can't grow without the Sun, people can't grow without the Son, our Savior.

   When I find a weed in my garden, I pull up it's roots, remove it from nurturing soil, water, and sunlight, and it withers and dies. Imagine if I "weeded" out one of my Father's children. Imagine if I uprooted that precious spirit by judging her, taking away the light and "nutrition" of the gospel.

   When I have a new plant, I place it in the soil, give it water, and point it to the light, where it can receive the nourishment it needs to survive, and grow to it's full potential. If it is a little wilted, rather than give up on it, I figure out what it needs and give it to it.

   Here's to hoping that when I meet someone new, and even in my dealings with friends, family, and current acquaintances, I can remember that I do not have the perspective to pull any "weeds". The best thing I can do to help my Heavenly Father is to nurture each of his "plants" I come across.

One of my all time favorite conference talks was given by President Thomas S. Monson current Prophet of the LDS church. It was in the October General Conference of 2009. I can't pick just one snippet to share with you, so please take a moment to read it here . It is titled "What Have I Done for Someone Today"

President Monson shared a wonderful poem. A poem that has become my mantra:

I have wept in the night 
For the shortness of sight 
That to somebody’s need made me blind; 
But I never have yet 
Felt a tinge of regret 
For being a little too kind


~~Author Unknown


I have such a strong testimony of this concept! The gospel is a part of my life because of wonderful people along the way who have practiced it. I know my Savior loves me. I hope I can help those I meet along the way to realize the same for themselves.

Welcome to my mind

I am a mommy. An LDS mommy. You can imagine the things that must run through my mind day by day. Or maybe, you can't. I'll share with you, if you'd like to know. I find myself "musing" over things constantly. Sort of an on-going conversation with myself. The subject matter can be anything from potty-training to deep spiritual thoughts. Welcome to my blog! I must warn you, however, that I am not an eloquent essayist, nor am I a silly satirist--(but I might just be awesome at alliteration?) I heard a saying once on another blog that I love. "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" I'm hoping that applies here. I'm not even going to try to be a great writer. I just want to share my thoughts, some may be well articulated, and some may be little snippets of incomplete thoughts. Hopefully, somewhere in here, I might say something that strikes a chord with someone, somewhere. (Is there a  literary term for using the same word over and over in a sentence?)